Give your child an experience they will never forget! Depending on the program chosen, YMCA Cedar Glen campers may participate in archery, climbing wall, mountain biking, arts and crafts, swimming lessons, and horseback riding. Campers will have the opportunity to swim daily in one of two outdoor, in-ground pools. All camp programs are supervised by highly trained YMCA staff.

The Our Kids review of YMCA Cedar Glen

The YMCA camps have long history and tradition in Canada, and Cedar Glen is an example of both of those. The programming is solidly based in the traditions, which is something that attracts families. There is also a nice bit of breathing room--days are active, but not to the point of exhaustion. It's a nice pace through the day. Programs are also reflective of the core values of the YMCA: mind, body, and spirit. Those values are a very nice piece of the offering, and one that rightly is a draw. The location--closer to the GTA than most Y camps--is also a plus.

YMCA Cedar Glen is a special place where campers can enjoy the outdoors, make new friends, learn new skills, and gain confidence. Our day camp programs, available for campers aged 4 - 16, cover a wide variety of skills and special interests, allowing all of our campers to find an area where they can excel. YMCA Cedar Glen's day leadership development programs offer teens between the ages of 13 and 16 the chance to learn and grow their leadership skills through interactive sessions and hands on practice.

With over 263 acres of rolling countryside, forests, streams, and trails under an hour from downtown Toronto, YMCA Cedar Glen is the perfect choice for your summer camp experience this year. If you have any questions about YMCA Cedar Glen's summer programs, or would like to come for a visit, please feel free to contact me at any time!

This summer, seven students from Philip Pocock Catholic Secondary School volunteered at YMCA Cedar Glen Outdoor Centre as part of their school’s co-op program. While many teens spend the summer sleeping in and hanging out with their friends Agnes, Martha, Katrina, Mary, Natalie, Katrina, and Egzona spent the first four weeks of their summer vacation riding the bus to and from camp each day.

“My experience at YMCA Cedar Glen is one that I will carry with me for the rest of my life,” says Katrina. “The skills and opportunities gained throughout my term will surely prove to be invaluable in the real world. I don’t regret one moment of my time spent here.”

Finding a co-op placement can be a daunting task, but for Katrina and her fellow co-op students, choosing Cedar Glen was a no-brainer. After visiting Cedar Glen last fall on a school trip, they were excited for the opportunity to return and complete their placement hours.

For some of the students, it was also the first time that they experienced summer camp. Over the course of the four weeks, they helped run variety of camp programs, including Natural Arts & Crafts, Creative Arts, Dance and Drama, Environmental Science, Outdoor Adventure, and Cooking. Their energy and enthusiasm played a vital role in shaping each camper’s experience. Combined, these students gave over 1,000 hours of their time.

“Cedar Glen is a magical place that provides campers and volunteers with new outdoor adventures every day,” says Natalie. “I will never forget the memories I made at Cedar Glen. After all, nothing beats the simple pleasure of being surrounded by nature!”

During the months of July and August YMCA Cedar Glen Outdoor Centre, located near Bolton, Ontario is transformed into an outdoor day camp for 500 boys and girls aged 4 – 16. While at Cedar Glen, campers participate in a variety of age appropriate programs and activities in the outdoors including: recreational sports, climbing wall, arts and crafts, archery, swimming, fire building, environmental learning, theme days, overnight campouts, and day trips. Working closely with staff mentors, campers are encouraged to try new things, learn skills, make friends, and have fun in a safe and supervised environment.

While at Cedar Glen, all day campers are introduced to the YMCA of Greater Toronto day camp wide bead program. On their first day, campers are welcomed to camp with a bracelet and encouraged by their staff and counselors to work toward earning different coloured beads by demonstrating the YMCA core values of respect, responsibility, inclusiveness, caring, honesty, and health. Each week, staff come together to nominate a camper to win the Silver Bead of Leadership. This bead is only awarded to one or two campers each week who have demonstrated leadership skills in their camper group. Last year the first recipient of the Silver Bead was Liam Berger, 10. When asked about one of his favourite memories from camp last summer, Liam said “Winning beads for being special in a certain way, like the Leadership Bead. And that makes me feel great!”

Attending YMCA Cedar Glen Day Camp also gives children the opportunity to make new friends. When asked why he is excited about returning to Cedar Glen this summer, Christopher John, 10, said “It’s fun meeting new campers for the summer, and I get to play with friends from school and see campers from the summer before.” Liam also commented that the other campers at Cedar Glen are “awesomely awesome friends.”

Another part of YMCA Cedar Glen that many campers enjoy is forming positive relationships with members of the staff team. Throughout the summer camp staff members act as positive role models for campers, demonstrating the YMCA core values to campers on a daily basis. When asked about the camp staff at Cedar Glen, Liam reported that “the staff is really nice, they always respect your ideas, always make you feel proud about yourself, and help you when you have trouble.” Christopher also commented that the camp staff is “awesome because they teach me new things and help me learn a lot.”

YMCA Cedar Glen also runs a variety of leadership development and hiking programs for youth aged 12 – 16 who may be interested in becoming camp staff in the future. More information regarding YMCA Cedar Glen’s day and hiking camp programs and busing options from across many areas of the city can be found online at www.ymcagta.org/camps. For more information or to contact YMCA Cedar Glen call 905 859 9622 or to register call 1 877 303 2267.